Auxiliary steering-gear for vehicles.



Y J. D. MAXPIELD. AUXILIARY STEERING GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15, 1911.

Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

2 SHBETS-S HEET 1.

J. 'D. MAXFIELD.

AUXILIARY STEERING GEAR FOR VEHICLES AIfPLIOATIOH FILED MAR. 15; 1911.

Patented M214, 1913.

2 BHEETS-BEEET 2.

.. Avanans eorr earth 1). MAXFUIELI), or HEMET, oALIsonNrn- AUXILIARY STEERING-GEAR FOR VEHIOLES.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

Applichtion filed March 15 1911. Serial No. 614,558.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN D. Mnxrmnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hemet, in the county of Riverside and State 5 of California, have invented certain new and useful Imn'ovements in Auxiliary SteeringGears or Vehicles, of which the following, taken in connection with the drawings, is a description.

My invention has for its object the production of an auxiliary steering gear for automobiles or like vehicles, and is designed more particularly to he used in case the steering mechanism of the machine is accidentally broken or for any other reason cannot be operated.

My invention is so constructed that it is portable, occupies small space, is easily madeand applied and very effectual in service when needed.

Another object of my invention is to pro-' duce an apparatus of this kind which is so constructed that it may he applied to any make of vehicle-without any specially arranged parts or mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated what I now consider the preferred form of my apparatus, showing two simple methods of applying it to the vehicle When needed, although I contemplate other changes in the details of my construction which may come within the scope of my claims without departing from the spirit of my invention, and in these drawings- :5 is a perspective detail of one of the hanger bars; Fig. 7 is a view of the tripod similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the manner-of securing the tripod to the spokes of the wheel with rings. Fin. Sis aplan view of one of these 0 curing rings.

Referringto the drawings A. represents the body, A the hood, B, B, the front wheels of an automobile of any well known construction.

taching memhe'r having a' rod-.orshfiiit-"G,

Figure]. is a side elevation of the forward the cable VG. if

My auxiliarymechanism comprises an at I Y H this construc'tm.

upon one end of which is a tripod of three arms 0, c, c ,each of which maybe bifur cated at the end thereof, for a purpose t he hereinafter explained.

A swivel orturirbuckle D having a take up screw D is secured to'the ends of the rods C as shown in Figs. 3, 4t, 7, and secured thereto is a rope or cable (Z.

E is a steering wheel and Ethe steering rod as used on a'uy motorcar.

the wheel E. arily secured .upon either side of the car body as nearly as may be in line with the attachinginember C projecting from the wheels B, B.

/ A ring. F having a facing f of leather, or other material, to protect the spokes, is placed upon-one side of the spokes of the wheel and a similar ring F is placed upon the opposite side thereof. The forks of the bifurcated ends of the arms 0', c of the tripod extend through coincident apertures f in these rings and are secured by nuts 9 or otherwise, so that the tripod is held rig;-

A small drum E is mounted upon the rod E near A pulley block 6 is'siation- L idly in position, the rod C extending outwardly from the hub of each front Wheel.

.If desired to secure directly to the spokes of the wheel, the rings F, F, may be dispensed with by placing the forks of each bifurcation over 3. spoke in the wheel and extending the same through a metal plate f,

tightening the same against the spnkes with the nuts 1. v

Extending circumferentially around the rod C near each end thereof is a grove'c.

G is a hanger-bar which has a. cross arm 9' at oneend thereof. One end of this arm is formed into an upwardlyextending hook g andthe opposite end into an upwardly extending U-shaped member 9 The hook member 9 is adapted to fit over the end of the shaft in the groove 0, with the U-shaped member 9 hearing against the front: side of the shaft in the groove '0 7 1n the eventof the connecting rod H being broken, one of these hangers is secured to each rod C eX- tending from the front Wheels of the -m a chine and a cslole ,G extends from the outwardly extending end of one hanger to the outwardly extending end of the othersc'ross' ;:'f

uss

the treat of.themachine as shown in Fig. A cable H is secured near each end of the in) in described; to supplement the broken mech- -constructed that should it hanger bars being attached as described cahle one end of which is connected each tripod, said cable also being con- When the tripod is secured in position upon each of the front wheels of the machine, to the spokes thereof as heretofore explained, the cable or rope (Z which is secured to the turn-buckle D extends over the pulley E and around the drum E on the steer- I ing rod E, and from thence to the turn buckle D connected with the rod C upon the l hicle, with may be exerted through either tripod to the control the direction. of movement of the forward wheels of the vehicle and form an emi-n'gency'steering mechanism.

3. In an auxiliary steering gear, the combination of the wheels, body and steering rod of a vehicle, with rods having means for detachably connecting them to the forward wheels of the vehicle, a cable uniting the outer ends of said rods, a drum mounted upon the steering rod to which said cable is attached near the center thereof, guides secured to the body of the vehicle over which said cable extends, and means for revolving said drum whereby said cable is actuated to turn the forward wheels of the vehigle, and provide an auxiliary steering mechanism. at. In a steering gear, the combination of the wheels, body and steering rod of a rehicle, with auxiliary steering members detachably connected to the forward wheels of the vehicle and projecting in opposite directions therefrom, a hanger-bar secured to each of said auxiliary steering members, and a cable extending from one of said hangerbars to the other across the front of the vc hicle a second cable having one end thereof connected with each of the aforesaid steering members, a drum mounted upon the steering rod around which said lastmentionedcable is wound, means for actuating said cable to turn the forward wheels of the opposite side of the machine. Should the steering rod be broken or become otherwise incapable of use, the drum may be dispensed with and the machine guided by a direct pull upon the rope or cable (Z. i It will thus be seen that in the event of the steering gear being broken, it would be possible, by attaching the mechanism hereanism with my auxiliary gear, and to control and operate the machine.- This device is so become necessary to remove entirely the rod connecting the steering knuckles, which would leave no connection between the two front wheels, the

and connected by the front and rear cables will prevent the wheels from spreading, and allow the machine to be operated. Any slack in the cables may be taken up by the I take-up screws, and the wheels will be maintained in proper position. I claim: h I 1. In an auxiliary steering gear, the con-r t bination of the forward wheels and steering rod of a vehicle, with tripod rods having l means for temporarily securing them to the outside of said wheels, and a cable secured at the center thereof to the steering rod and vehicle and tempo 'arily guide the same, subat each end to one of the outwardly extend 5 stantially as described. ing tripod rods whereby an emergency mecl'r l In testimony whereof I have signed this anism is provided, substantially as de-' j specification in the presence of two subscribscribed. ing witnesses.

2. In an auxiliary steering gear, the coinbination of the wheels, bo y and steering JOHN D. M.-.\Xl lELl). rod of a motor vehicle, with tripod rods having means for detachably connecting them I to the spokes of the front Wheels of the ve- Witnesses J. ALFRED Jacomas, J. C. Tir'roiv.

V nected with the steering rod whereby a pull wheels connected therewith to temporarily 

